Intern Killed by Lion at California Sanctuary

This Oct. 12, 2012 photo released by JP Marketing shows a 4-year-old male African lion named Couscous at Cat Haven, a private wild animal park in Dunlap, Calif. Authorities say the lion killed a female intern-volunteer on Wednesday, March 6, 2013, at Cat Haven, where the cat had been raised since it was a cub.

In an interview with KFSN, Sgt. Gregg Collins of the Fresno County Sheriff's Office said responding deputies found the worker dead inside a big cat enclosure.

Authorities have not named the deceased worker, but Dale Anderson, the owner of the facility, told reporters it was a female volunteer intern, KFSN reported. Anderson reportedly was crying as he read a statement to the media.

The animal involved in the attack, 4-year-old male African lion named Couscous, was shot by a Fresno County sheriff's deputy who responded to a call, authorities said.

Prior to sheriff's deputies' arrival on the scene, another employee had tried unsuccessfully to lure Couscous away from the victim and into another enclosure.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Fresno County Sheriff's Department were investigating the incident.

Tony Spada of the Fish and Wildlife Department said wildlife forensic personnel would "look look at the animal and determine if the animal did, in fact, attack the subject, and then we will have our findings. And we work closely with the homicide detectives and/or detectives working the case."

The 100-acre facility is home to a variety of wild cats -- including tigers, leopards and other threatened and endangered species which are kept for limited breeding and use in educational programs, according to Cat Haven's website.

Officials said the park has had a good history, and had an active permit to operate.

Cat Haven also runs an outreach program, and its "cat ambassadors" may sometimes be taken off-site to make appearances as part of that program, the website said.